System, method, and apparatus for providing interpretive communication on a network

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention comprises a system, method, and apparatus that provides for the utilization of a relatively real-time or near real-time interpretation or translation that may be utilized preferably for a relatively short duration of time on a network. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides online, real-time, short-duration interpreting services in a network-based format. In preferred embodiments, the interpreting system comprises at least one provider computer, such as a server, wherein the provider computer is capable of communicating with user computers via a network. In one preferred embodiment, the provider computer provides a series of web pages that allow access to the interpreting system, including, but not limited to, a request for service page, wherein a user can access the system and input a request for interpreting services. Interpreting services are then provided to a user and a third party desiring to communicate with the user via the network.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/658,496, filed on Feb. 8, 2010, titled “SYSTEM, METHOD, ANDAPPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION ON A NETWORK,” whichis a Divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 7,792,676, filed Oct. 25, 2001, titled“SYSTEM, METHOD. AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATIONON A NETWORK,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/243,162, filed Oct. 25, 2000, the entire disclosuresof each are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and each ofwhich priority is claimed.

This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/188,920, filed on Jun. 21, 2016, titled REMOTETRAVEL SERVICE which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority toU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/815,795, titled “AGGREGATION OF LIVEPERFORMANCES ON AN AGGREGATE SITE ON A NETWORK,” filed on Mar. 15, 2013that issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,706,165 and is continuation-in-part ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/385,847, filed Mar. 9, 2012, whichin turn was based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/464,936, filed Mar. 11, 2011, the entire disclosures of each areincorporated herein by reference in its entirety and each of whichpriority is claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a system, method, andapparatus for providing real-time or near real-time interpretingservices for utilization on a network. More specifically, embodiments ofthe invention relate to systems, methods, and apparatuses forfacilitating communication for the hearing impaired or disabled insituations that are location-specific and in which the use of liveinterpreters is inconvenient or relatively neither cost nor timeeffective, wherein a real-time or near real-time interpreting service isprovided, via a network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The system, known as Video Interpreting Program, has been offered by awell-established Maryland company, Sign Language Associates (“SLA”),since 1997. The system requires the use of a 3M™ VCS3100 videoconferencing system and 3 ISDN phone lines. According to SLA the VideoInterpreting Program™ has been used in medical, legal and generalemployment environments. The service is billed by the minute. At leastone problem with this service is cost and efficiency of labor. In thissystem, the interpreters must be in a specific location for set periodsof time, specifically, at a provider site possessing the specializedvideoconferencing equipment. This is cost and labor inefficient as, morelikely, interpreters will not be needed and utilized consistently, butwill be required to be available at the equipment location, thereby,restricting their ability to provide services elsewhere.

In addition, voice recognition software has been developed. TheTechnology Assessment program (“TAP”) of Gallaudet University,Washington D.C. (an internationally recognized education facility forthe hearing impaired) is examining automatic speech recognition (“ASR”)software, telecommunication relay services, captioning andwireless/cellular services. The current assessment of TAP is that voicerecognition is making dramatic progress and while currently useable,does not suffer from “accuracy level, the problem of multiple voices andlack of clear speech” in terms of providing fully automated or livecaptioning. They do, however, note the ASR capabilities of DragonNaturally Speaking and IBM Via Voice software.

In addition, TAP is actively promoting “video chat” to the hearingimpaired utilizing Microsoft NetMeeting in conjunction with the ATIAll-In-Wonder VGA card. However, such “video chat” is designed for useamong the hearing impaired and does not address the problems associatedwith providing an interpreter in one of the above-described situations.TAP makes no reference to any commercial service seeking to use Internetvideo/audio as implemented by some of the various embodiments of thepresent invention.

Also, telephone utility companies and the cellular telecommunicationsindustry provide an extensive service to facilitate communications bythe hearing impaired, particularly through the use of TTY and TDDsystems. To date, however, there has not been a cost effective systemintroduced to satisfy the need for remote visual exchanges between aninterpreter, a non-hearing impaired person and a hearing disabledperson. Moreover, to date, there is no indication that any serviceproviders has moved to implement a video/audio system based on Internetconnections as implemented by some of the various embodiments of thepresent invention

Live interpreters are an integral part of communication for the hearingimpaired and there is extensive network of these skilled professionalsboth nationally and globally. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf,founded in 1964, provides a national organizational structure,professional association and certification process for theseinterpreters and transliterators. It also embraces internationalmembership. Although live interpreting is advantageous, it fails toresolve the basic problems presented herein, namely, providing aninterpreter in a timely and cost efficient manner for varioussituations, such as, those, which arise in medical emergency rooms andpolice stations. Live interpreting is, therefore, not seen as directcompetition for the embodiments of the present invention. Variousembodiments of the present invention may be utilized to fill a marketgap—namely that of short-duration location-specific interpreting whereboth cost and time factors preclude the use of live interpreters.

For example, in a hospital, it may take two hours or more to locate andtransport a translator or interpreter to the medical facility so thatthe person may provide interpretation and translation, to, for example,a hearing impaired patient or family member of a patient. Thus, theso-called golden hour is lost, because it takes, in this example, overtwice as long just to begin questioning the patient in preparation fortreatment. In a more typical conventional situation, at least a part ofthe golden hour may have been lost in transporting a patient to thehospital in preparation for treatment. Thus, the wait for a translatoror interpreter to help either the patient or a family member becomesmore imperative that it occurs quickly. For example, if only 10 minutesof the golden hour is left that only allows for 10 minutes to track downand transporting the translator or interpreter or any other needed thirdparties to the hospital emergency room. This is often proven difficultif not impossible to accomplish in this time frame.

In another scenario, as discussed above, a live interpreter might belocated and provided via a teleconference system that may be set up, forexample at an office specialty service provider, e.g., a Kinkos®.Unfortunately, having the interpreter being viewed at the local officespecialty store rather than at the hospital really provides little, ifany, ability to treat the patient or consult family members in aneffective manner. Further, most hospitals do not have a significanttelecommunications equipment for providing video conferencing at theirfacilities. However, for the hospitals that do have this equipment it isoften located far away from the emergency room area and is considerablybulky and difficult, if not relatively impossible, to move from room toroom. Thus, this solution of utilizing a hospital's teleconferencingequipment is also considered a failure to solve the above mentionedproblems, such as medical facility interpretation, as thevideoconference presentation of the interpreter is not in a usefullocation relative to the emergency room for the patient or the familythat may be able to advise medical personnel in the treatment of thepatient.

In addition, to the inconvenience of the location of the necessaryteleconferencing equipment, the cost is relatively high for theutilization of the equipment even if it is attempted to be used. Forexample, teleconferencing equipment typically requires 3 ISDN lines tobe able to receive an image on the teleconferencing equipment thatprovides the resolution and frame speed requisite to enable parties tothe conference to be able to understand what an interpreter ortranslator is “saying.” This is because the translator/interpreter isutilizing sign language that requires a visual perception of thetranslator on the teleconferencing equipment display. When the displayand/or the speed in real-time appearance of the display is not adequateto see distinct precise and specific movements of the interpreter ortranslator, then the communication is degraded and often becomes acomplete failure in any attempt to communicate with the receiver of thedisplay of the telecommunications equipment. The receiver may, forexample, be the patient or a family member of the patient in thehospital.

A need in the industry exists for a system, method and apparatus thatprovides an ability to locate and utilize an interpreter and/ortranslator quickly, for example, in real-time or in relatively neartime, without having to maintain or provide a translator or interpreterto be constantly attending and personally present at a specific locationof the user of the interpretation or translation services or efforts.Further, a need also exists for a system, method and apparatus thatprovides for utilization of these interpretive and/or translativeproviders via a network, for example the World Wide Web. Still further,a need also exists for a system, method and apparatus that provides fora multi-lingual interpretive or translative option that is availableanywhere in the world in real-time or near real-time.

Finally, a need exists for a system, method and apparatus for utilizingan interpretive and/or translative ability anywhere in the world by atleast one of a user, recipient, and/or at least one third party that mayalso utilize a network, such as the World Wide Web, if desired in arelatively real-time or in near real-time utilization.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of the present invention are best understood by examiningthe detailed description with reference to the drawings. However, abrief summary of the disclosure follows. Embodiments of the presentinvention comprises a system, method, and apparatus that provides forthe utilization of a relatively real-time or near real-timeinterpretation or translation that may be utilized preferably for arelatively short duration of time, that is also preferably utilized witha network. A preferred embodiment of the present invention providesonline, real-time, short-duration interpreting services in anetwork-based format. The service focuses directly on facilitatingcommunication for the hearing disabled in situations which are highlylocation-specific and in which the use of live interpreters is neithercost nor time-effective or is otherwise inconvenient. The interpretingsystem comprises at least one provider computer, such as a server. Theprovider computer is capable of communicating with user computers via anetwork. In one preferred embodiment, the provider computer provides aseries of web pages that allow access to the interpreting system,including, but not limited to, a request for service page, wherein auser can access the system and input a request for interpretingservices.

In preferred embodiments, the user, such as, a hospital, accesses theinterpreting system via a user computer, wherein the user computer isconnected to a network. As discussed above, the interpreting system isaccessed via a provider computer, wherein the user computer and theprovider computer communicate via the network.

Once the user accesses the interpreting system, the user providesinformation directed to the interpreting needs. This informationincludes, but is not limited to, time restrictions (when the service isneeded), subject matter of interpretation, anticipated length ofservice, age of hearing impaired person, and contact information.

Upon receipt of the request for services, the interpreting service sendsout a request to all available interpreters. Any available and qualifiedinterpreter that is qualified for the type of interpretation requiredaccesses the interpreting system and identifies himself or herself asavailable. An interpreter is then chosen. The chosen interpretercontacts the user via the network and performs the required services.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the user, such as ahearing impaired person or third party, does not pay the interpreterdirectly, but rather, pays, for example, a monthly fee. In somepreferred embodiments, the user pay a monthly fee for either a limitedor unlimited amount of access and use of the interpreting system.Further, an entity, for example, a hospital may pay a monthly fee forthe right to utilize the interpreting system in treatment of itspatients and communication with others that may assist the hospital intreatment of its patients.

In addition to monthly fees, in alternative embodiments, the user canpay based upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, aper session fee, a per translation fee, a fee based on the number ofwords or data translated per use, the type of interpretation provided,the quality and/or certification of the interpreter, the relative costof the linking of various parties and interpreters to the network, theavailability and time of day, and whether a preference was indicated bythe user for a particular translator or qualification of translator, andthe physical location of the interpreter or other parties to thesession. Alternatively, the user may also pay based upon the cost of thetransmission links, or a percentage of the cost of either a portion orall of the translation and/or interpretation direct or indirect costs.Also, the fee may be based upon a licensing or other type ofintellectual property payment scheme such as a per translation or pertransaction or session cost or based upon the percentage of timeutilized for translation versus other portions of the communicationsession and/or any other method or allocation or charge or costs thatthe user may so desire and/or the provider may wish to provide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail herein withreference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a first embodiment of a virtual Internetdrive method and device, in accordance with the principles of anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a preferred embodiment of the present invention duringuse.

FIG. 3 depicts a preferred embodiment of a hand held two user computerdevice, wherein the two user computers are housed within a singlehousing.

FIG. 4 depicts a side perspective of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 depicts usage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 by two users.

FIG. 6 depicting use of the two user computer device utilized by a twoseparate users each having a separate two user computer device.

The accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals denote like elements,are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, andillustrate presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention.However, it is understood that the drawing is for the purpose ofillustration only, and is not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe invention.

Thus, the drawing, together with the general description given above,the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below servesto explain the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated utilizingfunctional flow charts as illustrated in FIG. 1. The present inventionmay be implemented on any computer that has access to a network, e.g.,the World Wide Web, as well as hand-held devices such as personalcommunication devices, including, but not limited to portabletelephones, personal appointment managers, a Palm Pilot, and otherInternet access devices such as Web TV. A network access itself may beachieved by radio frequency link, telephone modem, cable modem,high-speed DSL, wireless connection or any other network communicationtechnique conventionally available.

As the World Wide Web access is improved, such that the speeds betweenthe user and the World Wide Web are increased so that the user maydownload and upload data more quickly, the user may continue to enjoy anever-increasing benefit from the utilization of various embodiments ofthe present invention, as compared to conventional techniques.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system,method, and apparatus for providing relatively real-time or nearreal-time interpretation, wherein the need for interpretation is arelatively short amount of time. In preferred embodiments, theinterpretive system is provided via a network. For example, in oneembodiment, communication may be facilitated for the hearing disabled insituations that are highly location specific, such as, a hospital,police station, car rental counter, or retail store in which theutilization of live interpreters is neither cost nor time-effective.

In preferred embodiments, the interpreting system comprises at least oneprovider computer, such as a server. The provider computer is capable ofcommunicating with user computers via a network. In one preferredembodiment, the provider computer providers one or a series of web pagesthat allows access to the interpreting system, including, but notlimited to,' a request for service page, wherein a user can access thesystem and input a request for interpreting services.

The provider computer is accessible to a plurality of interpreters viaindividual computers capable of communicating with a network, or anyother means of accessing the network, such as a palm pilot, upon whichinterpreting services may be displayed in real time or near real time. Asubset of the plurality of interpreters makes themselves available viathe network, or any other communications means, such as, a telephone,pursuant to a predefined schedule. In preferred embodiments, aninterpreter is available throughout the network, regardless of usergeographical location, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In preferredembodiments, an interpreter may become available to the system notpursuant to a predefined schedule, but at the time or times theinterpreter desires to make his or her services available via thenetwork.

In preferred embodiments, the user, such as, a physician or aide in ahospital, accesses the interpreting system via a user computer, whereinthe user computer is connected to a network. As discussed above, theinterpreting system is accessed via a provider computer, wherein theuser computer and the provider computer communicate via the network.

Once the user accesses the interpreting system, the user accesses theinterpreting service's request web page, customer service or schedulingdepartment, or other appropriate live or digital representative of theinterpreting service and provides information directed to theinterpreting needs required. In some preferred embodiments, the user mayrequest the first available interpreter. In other preferred embodiments,the user may provide a plurality of other specific requests and otherdata to assist in matching the user's interpretation requirements. Thisinformation includes, but is not limited to, time restrictions for theproviding of the service (when the service is needed), acceptable priceor price range of interpreter, the requirement of acceptance of theuser's insurance to cover all or part of the services to be provided,subject matter specialty of interpretation (legal, medical, diplomaticand/or technical areas), legal or organizational certification ofinterpreter, one or more specific foreign languages required forinterpretation, anticipated length of service required, preferred genderof interpreter, age of hearing impaired person (e.g., if a childcommunication specialist is required), parental consent (if hearingimpaired person is a minor) geographic proximity of the interpreter tothe user, previous evaluations, ratings or recommendations of theinterpreter, previous use of the interpreter by the user, request for aparticular interpreter, request to include advertising, request toexclude advertising, and other criteria, and user contact and paymentinformation, including promotional participation data. In some preferredembodiments, the user fills in a series of data boxes online to transmitthe aforementioned data. In still other preferred embodiments, the useris provided with a pull-down menu that allows for users to choose from avariety of predefined menu options, wherein the options define the typeof service request desired. Once the user has filled in the requestpage, or otherwise provided information regarding the type of servicerequested, the user submits and transmits the information to theprovider computer, representative person, department or digital agent.In some preferred embodiments, the aforementioned request is performedtelephonically. In still other preferred embodiments the aforementionedrequest is performed via audio videophonic communication. In still otherpreferred embodiments the aforementioned request is directed toproviding an interpreter which may be geographically proximate to theuser so as to enable the interpreter to effectively translocate to theplace where interpretation services are needed for further or extendedon site interpretation services. In still further preferred embodiments,the request is directed to an interpreter capable of providinginterpreting services in route to the location of the user as by mobilewireless connection to a network.

Upon receipt of the request for services, the interpreting servicematches the criteria for the interpreter requested and effectuates anaudio videographic connection between the interpreter and the user. Inpreferred embodiments, the interpreting service transmits a request toall available interpreters. Any available and qualified interpreter,that is, qualified for the type of interpretation required, accesses theinterpreting system if not on-line, and identifies themselves asavailable. An interpreter is then chosen. The chosen interpretercontacts the user via the network and performs the required services. Inother preferred embodiments, the interpreting service effectuates aconnection between an “on call” or predesignated interpreter and theuser requesting the services.

The above-described system is capable of being used in virtually anytype of institution, retail establishment, organization or individualhome. Indeed, in some instances, some of the hardware already exists.For instance, healthcare institutions already possess good computerfacilities located in service transaction areas such as emergency roomsand outpatient clinics. Thus, unlike existing video conferencingservices, no new equipment is required for at least some of theembodiments of the present invention. Moreover, healthcare facilitiesare already familiar with the use of Web-based technology to enableremote consultations such as radiology. Thus, no substantial behaviormodification is required of the customer.

A preferred embodiment may be utilized on similar public sector andcommercial institutions that meet similar market criteria: therequirement to meet the ADA “reasonable accommodation” standard, haveexisting computer facilities located in or adjacent to public interfaceor service areas. This may, e.g., include Police and Paramedic agencies,Social Security, Immigration, Police, Courts, and Department of MotorVehicles as well as commercial applications such as airports, rental carcompanies, amusement parks, banks and department stores. Similarly, theeducational market offers downstream potential with continueddevelopment of automatic voice recognition captioning for longerduration simultaneous translation.

Yet another embodiment may be utilized for individual home subscribers.This would permit hearing disabled individuals to facilitatecommunication with family, friends and other contacts thereby enhancingtheir quality of life. In addition, it would enable these subscribers toundertake regular calls and daily contacts with emergency services,doctors, utility companies, etc.

In some preferred embodiments of the invention, third party vendors ofgoods and services utilize the interpretation services to provide signlanguage advertisements, introductions, information and educationregarding their goods and services to the aforementioned subscribers. Instill further embodiments, fourth party agents and affiliates may usethe interpreting system to perform such advertising, introduction,information and education services in exchange for, consideration,including, a fee for any goods or services purchased by the user.

Yet another embodiment may be utilized, that incorporates globalapplication for its hearing impaired interpreting concept with flow-onimplementation to offer multilingual, foreign language interpreting forits core customer base.

The online, real-time interpreting service developed in variousexemplary embodiments for the hearing disabled directly targets thismarket by taking advantage of a clearly identified need, an establishedlegislative imperative in the form of the Americans With DisabilitiesAct and the emerging technology which now allows networked real-timeimaging via the Internet. As outlined in the following section,preferred embodiments that may provide healthcare and education sectorswith rapid expansion envisaged into those areas of commerce whichinvolve substantial person-to-person interface such as amusement parks;airports—including information booths, ticket counters, customs andimmigration facilities; rental car companies; and major shopping malls.It is noted that the existing Internal Revenue Code (Title 26, Section190) allows tax deductions of up to $15,000 annually for the removal ofbarriers to people with disabilities.

Hearing impairment is not a disability peculiar to the United States andhence the opportunity exists to establish yet other arrangements of thepresent invention on a global basis through a multinational network ofqualified interpreters linked by the Internet or other wide are computernetworks. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are capable ofoperating on a global basis through a multinational network of qualifiedinterpreters linked by one or more common networks. In some preferredembodiments, the interpreting system provides real-time simultaneouslanguage translation in a location-specific manner worldwide. Theservice for hearing impaired is in itself a significant, however, thepossibility of simultaneous language translation via the Internet orother wide area networks, can provide the facilitation of communicationin a wide array of services and situations.

In the travel industry this “point-of-sale” service may be utilized byairlines, rental car operations, hotels, cruise operators and the like.It has direct application for point-of-entry interpreting forimmigration desks, customs officials and transport operators. In theeducation sector it suggests the possibility of online education beamedglobally yet available simultaneously in a number of different languagetranslations.

In business it has future potential for allowing global executives toutilize their own, trusted sources for interpreting and avoids thenecessity to rely on host country interpreters who may be unfamiliarwith the technical terms being used, unfamiliar with the business ornegotiating style of the executive and who may pose a significantindustrial espionage threat.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in arapid, albeit preferably sequenced, expansion into this area based onthe establishment of a global exchange linking established interpretingand translation services worldwide in a real-time online network.

Preferred embodiments provide an online real-time short durationlocation specific interpreting service geared initially to the needs ofthe hearing disabled in the United States but with subsequent secondstage expansion to enable coverage of key global markets. It isenvisaged that the third stage of expansion would move beyond thehearing impaired to embrace real-time simultaneous language translationin a multilingual and multinational-networked format. The service willbe capable of operating on both a point-to-point and amulti-conferencing basis as necessary. The integrated use of voicerecognition is planned for ongoing development and implementation of theservice.

At present, the hearing needs of the hearing disabled are catered for bythe use of such instruments as assistive hearing devices, pagingdevices, telephonic devices including TTY and TDD, pictograms and bothsign language and oral interpreters. All these instruments amelioratethe barriers faced by the hearing disabled. Moreover, all theseinstruments are classified under the Americans With Disabilities Act as“auxiliary aids and devices” recognized as meeting the “reasonableaccommodation” prescription of the Act. However, in certain keycircumstances these “aids and devices” have significant drawbacks. Forexample, the provision of qualified sign language or oral interpretersmust often be arranged up to two weeks in advance and in emergency orlife threatening situations there can be both unacceptable delay andexcessive cost in obtaining interpreters.

in one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for theintroduction of an online exchange linking a network of qualified signlanguage interpreters, oral interpreters, simultaneous transcribers and,where appropriate, voice or motion recognition captioning. The exchangewould utilize current Internet and wide area computer networktechnologies allowing live audio and video feeds.

Arrangements of the present invention may also be utilized or, e.g.,integrated with, e.g., Real Networks, CUSeeMe, Net Meeting and othersoftware solutions that facilitate worldwide video and audiocommunication and data collaboration across the Internet. In addition,the potential use of the emerging Bluetooth chip technology would allowremote wireless communication in local networks, for example withinemergency rooms and hospital wards, thus allowing mobility on the partof the user such as required by an emergency room physician in anexamination room. These are situations where short-term interpreting isrequired (short-term generally being of periods less than approximately30 minutes but may be even less, e.g., 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, or even lessthan 1-5 minutes in a location-specific or transaction-specificenvironment and for which the use of a physically present interpreter isneither cost nor time effective.

In reference to a preferred embodiment in FIG. 2, the network couldoperate as follows in, for example, the case of an emergency roomphysician treating a hearing disabled patient:

-   -   Utilizing a PDA, laptop, Internet-capable cellular phone, or        similar handheld device, capable of receiving, displaying and        broadcasting the remote sign language or foreign language        interpreter's signing and vocal communications, such as by flat        screen monitor and speaker, and capturing and transmitting the        hearing impaired person's signing, and the physician's voice        such as by camera and microphone devices, the physician would        log on to the network via the hospital internet service        connection;    -   The present invention's menu would provide a choice of icons for        interpreting services, e.g., labeled in both script and        pictogram;    -   The physician user would choose the type of service, price,        interpreter qualifications, time to commence the services, and        any other user selectable request criteria;    -   A user, e.g., a physician would click to the required icon for        connection;    -   Service would search the network and connect to the first        available interpreter;    -   Audio and video connection would be established and        interpretation would then begin utilizing voice communication        between the physician and the interpreter and sign language        between the sign language speaking hearing impaired patient;    -   As necessary, required or requested, communications by one or        more of the parties can be made available in scrolled text on        the screen generated by real time stenographic or voice        recognition means.    -   The interpreting transaction would be recorded in file format        for playback as necessary for checking accuracy or in the event        of liability- or dispute.

In some preferred embodiments, the user of the service is a subscriberto the service wherein access to the service is password protected. Insome preferred embodiments, the user pays a monthly service fee to haveaccess to interpreters and, pays a fee to the interpreting service foractual use of the interpreter on a fee for time basis. In some preferredembodiments, the user pays for the services on an “as needed” basiswherein access to the service is preceded by the presentation,authorization and acceptance of a credit card, debit card, digitallysigned contract or other payment means.

In some preferred embodiments, the interpreter(s) is (are) directly paidfor all or some of sums due to the interpreter(s) by the aforementioned“as needed” payment is made by the user. The exchange would linkparticipating sign language or oral interpreters regardless of theinterpreter's physical location. In preferred embodiments, interpreterswould be available on a twenty-four hour basis for all users, whereverlocated, despite the potential time zone differentials that may arise.

In some preferred embodiments, participating interpreters would berequired to meet specified participation criteria, such as certificationfrom the appropriate U.S. certifying body or bodies (e.g. Registry forInterpreters for the Deaf). Membership of the exchange would be subjectto a controlled application process and would entail, e.g., an annualmembership fee. In addition, participating interpreters must have accessto computer equipment meeting predefined specifications or be requiredto lease such equipment from the provider or utilizer. Eachparticipating interpreter would be required to carry a specified levelof public liability insurance over and above that carried by provider orutilizer.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, look-up and verification of aselected interpreter's insurance status (e.g., to determine if therequired policy is valid and in force) by access to an appropriateinsurance data base or by other means, may precede the connection of theuser with the interpreter, and if the results of such look-up revealsthat the interpreter is uninsured, underinsured or that there is someother liability concern, the interpreter could be then made unavailablefor to provide the requested services.

A provider or utilizer portal may be located with an existing majorservice provider, who will be offered exclusive rights to host theservice for a fixed contract period. This provider will be given firstright of refusal for the subsequent envisaged expansion of the provideror utilizer platform, i.e. the second stage development into providinghearing impaired coverage for selected global markets followed by athird stage expansion into providing simultaneous translation on amultilingual and multinational basis.

Targeted institutions will be offered a service subscriber packageentailing an annual subscription rate covering a guaranteed amount oftime on the service per month. In the manner of telephone calling cardssubscribers will be able to “top up” their monthly subscriber timeallocation should they appear close to exceeding their normalsubscription rate. Member institutions will be designated as “TheProvider or Utilizer Service Members” and their contact detailscirculated in directory form to the hearing disabled across the UnitedStates. Signs bearing the provider or utilizer logo will be supplied tomember institutions for display in public areas thus promoting theinstitution's use of the provider or utilizer Service. In additionhealth insurers will be encouraged to provide priority coverage forinsured health impaired patients to seek treatment at “Provider orUtilizer Service Member” institutions and clinics.

The provider or utilizer may also enable, because of the above, create alarge secondary market for hearing disabled individuals to seek personalsubscriptions to The Provider or Utilizer Service. Such individualswould be able to log into the service from a home or office computer andutilize the video service to communicate freely with friends, relativesand business associates. In addition, personal subscribers can use theinterpreting service to facilitate the regular telephone calls and dailycontacts that the hearing enabled take for granted. This would includeemergency calls, calls to healthcare professionals to seek appointmentsor prescription refills, calls to government agencies such as IRS andSocial Security, calls to utility companies and calls to taxi services,airlines and the like. Again personal subscribers would purchase amonthly access package with the capability to “top up” on amonth-to-month basis should their circumstances so demand. The abilityfor hearing impaired individuals to have access to such a service notonly offers considerable potential to improve their quality of life butalso offers a vehicle for increased independence and personalconfidence.

As previously described, the substantial number of Americans classifiedas having chronic hearing impairment, an estimated 23,000,000 in theyear 2000. This represents a substantive market for a wide range ofgoods and services that can be exclusively promoted to this targetaudience via the personal subscription to the Provider or UtilizerService. Access to this market (a market that is in large partunreachable by existing vehicles such as telemarketing, radio andtelevision that rely on audio delivery) via the use of the Provider orUtilizer Service enables third party vendors to use preferredembodiments of the instant invention to provide a useful promotionalvehicle for a large number of goods and services.

In turn, the establishment of a core membership of subscriber healthcareinstitutions then provides the platform for expansion of the service toother institutional target sectors who—like the healthcare industry—aresubject to the “reasonable accommodation” standard of the Americans withDisabilities Act, have high levels of public interface and who haveexisting computer facilities (preferably with broadband access) alreadylocated in or adjacent to public interface areas such as service desks.Such targets will include government agencies such as Social Securityoffices, Immigration & Naturalization Service, Public Housing agencies,Courts, Police Departments, Department of Motor Vehicles and InlandRevenue Service. Flow-on target subscribers that meet the above criteriawould then include more commercial applications such as airportinformation desks, airline lounges, rental car companies, hotels,amusement parks, supermarkets, drug stores and department stores. Again,all these target sectors have a requirement for short durationinterpreting of customer interactions taking place at the point ofservice transaction. These are all situations where, in the absence of aservices such as the Provider or U preferably offers, there isconsiderable potential for confusion, frustration, discrimination andthe inevitable deterioration of customer service. In addition, with apotential target audience amounting to some 8% of the Americanpopulation there is a clear commercial incentive for such private sectoroutlets to become subscribers and to be aggressively promoted to thehearing disabled as offering this service—particularly in view of thetax credits which apply (see Appendix 1).

Similarly, the educational market is seen as a substantial marketopportunity, particularly in association with online education providersor in classrooms offering a standardized, repeatable lesson format,e.g., technical training where the need is not for short duration, timesensitive interpretation but can be delivered in a prepackaged,repeatable format thus offsetting the current cost of deliveringreal-time interpreting. Real-time interpreting of, for example, a 3 to 4hour graduate class would be prohibitively expensive for mosteducational facilities. However, educational facilities increasinglyhave high levels of computer technology installed or available forin-class access by students. Also, the provider or utilizer may alsoincorporate or utilize voice recognition, so that it will be able tooffer in the short-term a future a cost-effective closed captioningservice via the Internet or wireless device that would enable hearingimpaired students to effectively and unobtrusively participate in theclass utilizing a voice recognition caption stream on the student'slaptop device.

In a business method arrangement of various embodiments of theabove-described invention, a subscription may be utilized. Thus, a feemay be paid, for example, at a regularly set time, for example, everymonth in order to be provided with and/or utilized and/or obtaintranslation and/or interpretation up to a certain time limit or may evenbe unlimited depending upon the subscription price. This wouldparticularly be beneficial too, for example, police departments,hospitals and the like and other community service organizations becausethis would provide for essentially a fixed fee amount that can be morereadily budgeted by these organizations and thus provide a more costeffective and cost conscious provision of services for the hearingimpaired by these organizations. Further, it will allow theseorganizations to more accurately predict their budgets so that they mayprovide the best utilization of their often limited funds for servicesincluding providing for access to at least some of the variousarrangements and embodiments that comprise the present invention.

In yet another alternate embodiment of the present invention, a portionor all of the translation or interpretation including but not limited toany of the arrangements that are described below with reference to FIG.1, there may also be provided with a reduced fee or even a free Internetservice provider account such as a free DSL account. Alternatively,and/or in conjunction with the free DSL account, other arrangements andpreferred embodiments of the present invention may be provided with atype of advertising such as Web-based banner, audio, visual, audio videoand/or multimedia “commercials” or other advertising or surveys that maybe presented and/or interacted with by the user and/or interpreter(s) atany time before, during and/or after the translation or interpretationis being provided. In other preferred embodiments, such advertisementsmay alternatively be implemented so that said advertisements aredisplayed when there is, for example, silence for a certain amount oftime or the user indicates that it is a non-critical communication andthat information such as advertisements may be allowed in addition tothe translation and/or interpretation being utilized. In still otherpreferred embodiments, such advertising may exist in a user opt-in oropt-out configuration. In still other preferred embodiments, thepresence or absence of such advertising may be associated with increasesor decreases in the price to the user for providing the interpretingservices and/or the payment to the interpreter(s) for providing theinterpretation or translation service.

The various arrangements and embodiments of the present invention mayalso be utilized with the above and/or with a provision for a relativelyreduced fee and/or free long distance communication configuration orenablement option for the user, for example, by utilizing the World WideWeb to transmit other types of communications such as voice while alsoutilizing the translation and/or interpretation for a hearing impairedperson.

In yet other alternate arrangements and embodiments of the presentinvention, the system, method and apparatus may engage interpreters thatare transported in person to a specified location, for example, a policestation or hospital emergency room, or in a preferred arrangement, byproviding the interpretation or translation to the subscriber and/or tothe user or any other third party via. a network, for example, the WorldWide Web in route to the specified location.

In yet other alternate arrangements and embodiments of the presentinvention, the above subscription business method may be utilized withpresent interpreters that show up or are transported in person to thevarious locations where such services are requested, for example, policestations or hospital emergency rooms, or in a preferred arrangement byproviding the interpretation or translation personnel to the subscriberand/or to the user or any other third party via a network, for example,the World Wide Web.

In the various alternate arrangements and embodiments that utilize as aportion of the communications network, there are many furtherarrangements and embodiments that may be understood in the practice ofthis invention. First, for example, a subscriber or utilizer may utilizethe network to connect with a boiler room of interpreters that are onstandby and ready to immediately interpret for a subscriber whencontacted. Alternately, the interpreter or a number of interpreters maybe, for example, home based or offsite location-based and may beutilized as an overflow to the boiler room or vice versa where thepreferred interpreter is home based and the overflow of requests, whenthe supply of home based interpreters is exceed is handled by a boilerroom of interpreters. Of course, an essentially boiler room may becreated by linking a plurality of home based or other offsite basedinterpreters. In preferred embodiments of the invention dynamicallocation of interpreters on the basis of availability and demand isaccomplished either automatically by the service's network software orby one or more human dispatchers.

In yet another alternate arrangement of the present invention, theinterpreters may instead be located by the subscriber or a third partyby utilizing a wireless technology, for example, a mobile phone thatindicates to the interpreter to contact through preferably a specificwebsite address the subscriber and begin interpretation. Interpretationmay be provided visually, for example, by utilizing the mobile phone inconnection with a laptop and a small CCD camera mounted with a laptop orseparately so that the interpreter may immediately provide servicesanywhere in the world. In addition, the interpreter may also at the sametime obtain or be automatically provided transportation, for example, bythe hospital or via other third parties or by the interpreter themselveshailing a taxi, for example, and being transported while continuing tointerpret in a wireless embodiment of the present invention.

In yet other alternate arrangements of the present invention andparticularly in a plurality of preferred arrangements that utilize awireless portion may thus provide worldwide coverage. Also,multi-lingual coverage may be provided, for example, a Spanish speakinghearing impaired person may utilize a Spanish speaking interpreter thatis actually located in Spain when there are no Spanish interpretersremaining more nearby relative to the hearing impaired person. Or viceversa, the Spanish speaking hearing impaired person may actually be inSpain and wish to utilize a specific facility such as a renownedhospital and an interpreter that speaks both English and Spanish thatmay, for example, reside in the USA and thus obtain the desiredtranslation and interpretation by utilizing yet another arrangement ofthe present invention preferably in a network environment.

In yet other alternate arrangements of the present invention, thelinkage between, for example, the interpreter and the hearing impairedperson may be predetermined or may be implemented in real-time dependingupon input from any one of the interpreter, the hearing impaired person,and/or any other third party or a combination thereof. Thus, in oneexemplary embodiment of the present invention, the hearing impairedperson may indicate a preference for a specific interpreter such as onethat has been utilized previously by the same person and the hearingimpaired person wishes to utilize the same interpreter again. Therouting between the parties may also be accomplished by other at leastpartially predetermined and/or real-time decisions based upon softwarealgorithms that include choosing the routing based upon the physicallocation of the interpreter, the hearing impaired person, and/or anyother third party, on the previously described preference of one or moreof the parties, based upon the cost of interpretation and/or connection,based upon the availability of any one of the parties involved, and/orbased upon the skill level, and/or whether or not the interpreter isstate and/or government approved or certified and the like.

Further, other changes to the routing may include rating and/oracknowledgment of any specialized knowledge on a specific subject thatthe interpreter or any other third parties have or a rating based uponpast performance may also be utilized or incorporated with the otherfactors in deciding the routing to be utilized. Again, this selectionmay be via a predetermined algorithm, a third party that is monitoringand/or even arbitrarily deciding the routing between the hearingimpaired person and any other party, and/or may be determined solely byany one of parties including the hearing impaired person themselves.

In a business method application of various embodiments of the presentinvention, there may be a cost difference to the user and/or any otherthird party depending upon the skill level and/or experience incommunicating that the interpreter has. Also, a menu may be provided toany of the connected parties, for example, the interpreter, the hearingimpaired person, and/or any other third party that may be utilized toselect or indicate a preference, for example, a certified or licensedinterpreter and/or any of the other above-mentioned preferences asdesired. Depending upon these choices may indicate an instantaneouschange in cost in real-time or near real-time for the continuinginterpretation being provided. Thus, as a higher skill level is desireda different interpreter may be provided, for example, for a few minutesand then the hearing impaired person may shift back to a first or even athird interpreter that is provided a lower rate, for example, in morecalm family discussions as opposed to when a higher priced interpretermay be desired that may be familiar, for example, with complex medicalterminology and the like in evaluating treatment with a doctor.

Other arrangements for providing a charge include a charge or fee bysubscription, for example, a fixed cost per month, or maybe utilizedwith a Visa or MasterCard or other credit card that preferably utilizesa chip in the card so that a more informed knowledge of any of theconnected parties maybe instantly ascertained, at least in part, byutilizing information contained in the chip on the charge card or otheridentity or informational card being utilized in connection with thevarious embodiments of the present invention.

Yet other embodiments may utilize a fixed fee for a base number ofminutes or time period amount or have a cost associated with the excessunits of time that are utilized. For example, charging an extra $2.00 aminute for any utilization over 30 minutes a month. Other cost rangesmay include, for example, other services that may be provided along withthe visual interpretation, such as, a real-time transcript or atranscript that is provided at a later date, a video tape, and/or audiothat may be analog or digitally or any other technique as is known inthe art to record and preserve the interpretation activity.

Thus, various embodiments of the present invention may also be utilizedto generate live or real-time transcripts, as well as a recordation ofany or all of the communications and/or interactions of any of theparties.

Some of the parties are illustrated in FIG. 1 and may be involved in theutilization of various embodiments of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a network 10 is utilized to provide a communication or aconnection between any combination or arrangement of at least one ormore of a hearing impaired person (“HIP”) 12, a monitor (“M”) 14, ateacher (“T”) 16, an interpreter (“I”) 18, and/or any other third party(“O”) 20. The connections are quasi connections between any of theparties 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and the network 10 may be accomplished by anytechnique known in the art, for example, wireless connections,land-based connections, satellite connections, and/or any combinationand the like.

More specifically as shown in FIG. 1, the HIP 12 is a utilizer of thetranslation or interpretation of this exemplary arrangement of thepresent invention and may also be, for example, a family member or otherclose associate of the user or any other person the user may designate.The M 14 of the network 10 is preferably utilizing this exemplaryembodiment of the present invention in order to, for example, monitor,measure, rate, or otherwise provide a type of quality control,evaluation, or insurance of an appropriate level of quality or serviceby the interpreter. The monitor may also provide the above evaluationsas described for the T 16 and/or any O 20 and even if desired for theHIP 12, if desired. In fact, a cost attribution or implementation of abusiness method implementation of the present invention may also includea rating or other evaluation of the hearing impaired person themselvesto adjust the price based upon economic class or level, governmentassistance available, and/or tax credits, or may even be based upon therelative skill of the hearing impaired person and the price adjustedaccordingly based upon the ability of the hearing impaired person toutilize the embodiment of the present invention in a satisfactory orefficient manner.

The T 16 is preferably utilizing this exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention in order to teach the hearing impaired person whereinthe teacher needs that interpretation or translation in order to performthe teaching exercise with the hearing impaired person. Of course, it isunderstood that the teaching exercise need not be related in any way tosign language or the hearing impaired activities but instead may be anyteaching situation, for example, teaching mathematics, art, or any othersubject as desired by any of the parties.

The I 18 may include, without limitation, a translator and/ortransliterator or any other aid or assistant or similar type ofinterpreter that may be utilized for any person needing such help,preferably those understood to fall under the American With DisabilitiesAct.

Finally, the O 20 may comprise, for example, police, hospital'sadministration and staff, doctors, relatives that are not at thehospital but wish to sit in on the consultation with the hearingimpaired patient, and/or additional hearing impaired family members thatmay also wish to utilize and be aware of the communication transpiringbetween the hearing impaired person and any other person or entity thatis connected via the network in this exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

Yet another arrangement of the present invention may include providingthe interpretation on a time delay basis, for example, where thedelivery of the interpretation is at a point in time substantially afterthe provision of the speech and/or sign language to be interpreted andtranslated. Thus, for example, in one exemplary embodiment a person mayspeak into a recording device and then at some later time, for example,12 hours later, the recording may be transliterated and then provided asdesired to the hearing impaired person at a convenient time that theyrequest. Also, the initiator or verbal message user in this example mayspecify time for delivery of the translated communication. Of course, itis understood that yet another arrangement of the present inventionincludes a video tape or a recordation of the visual sign language bythe hearing impaired person that has been transmitted through atranslator and the, for example, spoken interpretation is then laterdelivered, for example, as a voicemail to the intended recipient.Similarly, any transcripts or recordations or the like may also beprovided at a time delay and the cost of the same in the use alternateembodiments may be adjusted accordingly, if desired.

In yet other arrangements of the present invention in an exemplaryembodiment a synthespian arrangement may be utilized, wherein asynthespian is a digitally generated interactive actor, avatar, agent ora digitally morphed, modified or enhanced interactive recording of areal person. Thus, for example, a hearing impaired person may utilize anetwork to communicate with a receiver or an interpreter or a recorderthat may be later viewed by the interpreter. The interpreter may theninterpret the sign language communication into the spoken language, andprovide it to, for example, a third party. However, this example priorto the viewing by the interpreter of the hearing impaired person'scommunication via sign language, a computer generated synthespian may,for example, be utilized to mask or alter the appearance of the hearingimpaired person so that the interpreter will not know the true identityof the hearing impaired person in order to better safeguard and providea semblance of privacy for the hearing impaired person. Alternatively,in a similar fashion the interpreter may receive a spoken communicationand translate it into sign language for the hearing impaired person.However, prior to viewing of the interpretation by the hearing impairedperson, the visual image is passed through, for example, a computerprocessing unit that then converts at least a portion of the image ofthe interpreter into a synthespian type image. Thus, the hearingimpaired person only sees an artificial or synthespian interpreter andnot the actual physical look and/or identity of the interpreter so thatthe deaf person and/or the interpreter may be provided with a relativelysecure and/or a relatively private type of communication. Thus, thehearing impaired person may later “bump” into the interpreter on thestreet and yet neither would recognize the other, thus, providing somesemblance of privacy for the hearing impaired person and/or theinterpreter and/or any other third parties.

In preferred embodiments of the instant invention, the aforementionedsynthespian substitution or “masking” of the identities may be appliedto the hearing impaired user, the interpreter, any third party users,such a physician using the service in an emergency room and/or anyremote third party participant in the videoconference. In furtherpreferred embodiments, the synthespian substitution or masking ofidentities may by performed in real time by sufficiently fast processingof digital data corresponding to the images and voices of theaforementioned parties.

Yet other alternate embodiments of the present invention includeutilizing the interpretation over the network as a portion of, forexample, a video dating service, wherein the translator and/orinterpreter may be provided in relatively real-time to assist a hearingimpaired person in a World Wide Web based dating service and the like.Similarly the various embodiments of the present invention may beutilized so as to conduct an adult video conferencing communicationwherein the communication is primarily of a sexual nature. Further, avideo chat room or a chat room that is provided with a video link to thehearing impaired person may utilize, for example, streaming video toenhance the communications via the interpreter at a World Wide Web chatroom. Thus, the hearing impaired person may make arrangements to “meet”at a specified time on a website chat room wherein the hearing impairedperson utilizes various aspects of the present invention to have thehearing impaired person's communication be translated into verbal orspoken communication and vice versa from the other parties participatingin the chat room activity. This may be done either in a time delayfashion as described above that is a message to the chat room oralternatively in a relatively real-time or near real-time application inyet another embodiment of the present invention. It is particularlyapplicable for utilizing various embodiments of the present invention inthe more recently implemented video chat rooms that may be engaged inthe utilization of a network such as the World Wide Web.

In further embodiments of the instant invention, the providing ofinterpreting services using the system, method and apparatus disclosedherein includes the provider's, user's and/or subscriber's use of taxincentives, such as tax credits as set forth in Appendix 1 hereto,provided by one or more governmental entities for the purchase,installation, upgrading and/or maintenance of equipment and/or purchaseof services and/or subscriptions for the above mentioned interpretationand/or translation services.

The invention has been described in reference to particular embodimentsas set forth above. However, only the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, and but a few examples of its versatility are shownand described in the present disclosure. It is understood that thepresent invention is capable of use in various other combinations andenvironments, and is capable of changes or modifications within thescope of the inventive concept as expressed herein. Indeed, in stillfurther embodiments, automated closed captioning can be used to delivervia a network, real-time, simultaneous language translations. Furtherstill, electronic avatars can be utilized to provide fully mobile,wireless network interpreting and simultaneous translation servicesenabling business travelers and tourists to have immediately availabletranslation services regardless of time or location. In otherembodiments, a sign language motion electronic dictionary can beutilized to enable electronic based communication with direct interfacebetween deaf and hearing-enabled parties. Applications for suchdictionary could include, but is not limited to, remote ordering devicesfor fast food outlets, rental car outlets, and ticket purchase outlets.

In another preferred embodiment, a plurality of user computers can becontained within a single housing system. For instance, with referenceto FIGS. 3 and 4, two user computers can be contained within a singlehousing 24 having a first side 26 and a second side 28, wherein themeans for receiving and transmitting the audio and visual informationfor the first user computer resides on the first side of the housing 26and the means for receiving and transmitting the audio and visualinformation for the second user computer resides on the second side ofthe housing 28. In one embodiment, the audio receiver and transmitter 30is a microphone and the visual receiver 34 and transmitter is a cameraand a screen. In this manner, and with reference to FIG. 5, a user, suchas a doctor, could stand across from the hearing impaired person suchthat the user is viewing a visual transmitter on the first side, such asa screen and the hearing impaired person is viewing a visual transmitteron the second side, such as a screen. In this embodiment, theinterpreter is transmitted simultaneously to both the doctor and thehearing impaired such that interpretation services are provided. Instill other embodiments, and with reference to FIG. 6, each user couldutilize a separate hand held device. It is to be understood that thisdescription is not intended to limit the invention. Rather, theinvention is intended to encompass all permutations on the invention.For instance, the embodiment in FIG. 3 could also be utilized forforeign language interpretation services such that two user partiescould communicate via interpretive services provided by the hand heldnetwork device housing the two user computers.

APPENDIX 1

Disability-Related Tax Provisions Applicable to Businesses Excerptedfrom the ADA Handbook; Appendix G, Tax Provisions

The three disability-related provisions in the Internal Revenue Codeapplicable to businesses described below are of particular interest tobusinesses and people with disabilities:

1) Targeted Jobs Tax Credit (Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, section51)

Employers are eligible to receive a tax credit in the amount of 40percent of the first $6,000 of first-year wages of a new employee whohas a disability. There is no credit after the first year of employment.For an employer to qualify for the credit, a worker must have beenemployed for at least 90 days or have completed at least 120 hours ofwork for the employer. The Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1990, PublicLaw 101-508, extended this tax credit through Dec. 31, 1991.

2) Tax Deduction to Remove Architectural and Transportation Barriers toPeople with Disabilities. and Elderly Individuals (Title 26, InternalRevenue Code, section 190) For purposes of this section, a “handicappedindividual” is any individual who has a physical or mental disability(including, but not limited tot deafness and blindness) which, for thatindividual, constitutes or results in a functional limitation toemployment, or who has any physical or mental impairment thatsubstantially limits one or more major life activities of thatindividual. The deduction may not exceed $15,000 for any taxable year.(The maximum deduction had been $35,000 prior to passage of Public Law101-508 in 1990, which lowered the maximum deduction.)

3) Disabled Access Tax Credit (Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, section44)

This tax credit is available to “eligible small businesses” in theamount of 50 percent of “eligible access expenditures” for the taxableyear that exceed $250 but do not exceed $10,250.

“Eligible small businesses” are those businesses with either:

a) $1 million or less in gross receipts for the preceding tax year

OR

b) 30 or fewer full-time employees during the preceding tax year.

“Eligible access expenditures” means amounts paid or incurred by aneligible small business for the purpose of enabling the small businessto comply with applicable requirements under ADA.

Certain types of expenditures are listed as included under the meaningof the term “eligible access expenditures.” These include amounts paidor incurred:

i) for the purpose of removing architectural, communication, physical,or transportation barriers that prevent a business from being accessibleto, or usable by, individuals with disabilities;

ii) to provide qualified readers, taped texts, and other effectivemethods of making visually delivered materials available to people withvisual impairments;

iii) to provide qualified interpreters or other effective methods ofmaking aurally delivered materials available to individuals with hearingimpairments;

iv) to acquire or modify equipment, or devices for individuals withdisabilities, or

v) to provide other similar services, modifications, materials, orequipment.

Expenditures that are not necessary to accomplish the above mentionedpurposes are not eligible.

Expenses in connection with new construction are not eligible.“Disability” has the same meaning as it does in the ADA. Barrierremovals or the provision of services, modifications, materials, orequipment must meet standards promulgated by the Secretary in order tobe eligible.

1. A method for providing language interpretation service performanceson a computer network, the language interpretation service performancesbeing operable with interpretation service performances by a pluralityof human interpreters, having at least one provider performance sitecomputer, at least one first user computer, at least one second usercomputer and at least one aggregation site computer, and wherein each ofthe plurality of human interpreters has a predefined set of servicecriteria, the method comprising the steps of, i) establishing for eachof the plurality of human interpretation service performance providersone or more predefined sets of service performance criteria from amongthe following: (a) the source languages from and to which interpretationservices will be performed (b) the price of the interpretationperformance services to be performed; (c) the physical location of oneor more of the providers (d) interpretation service performance to beprovided via audio-only means; (d) interpretation service performance tobe provided via video-only means; (e) interpretation service performanceto be provided via audio-video means; (f) when the interpretationservice performance will be provided; (ii) receiving a request from afirst user for a communication service performance on at least oneaggregation site computer, the user requiring at least one of theplurality of human interpreters to facilitate communication with asecond user, the request for communication services includinguser-selected service criteria from among the following: (a) the sourcelanguages from and to which interpretation services will be performed(b) the price of the interpretation performance services to beperformed; (c) the physical location of one or more of the providers (d)interpretation service performance to be provided via audio-only means;(d) interpretation service performance to be provided via video-onlymeans; (e) interpretation service performance to be provided viaaudio-video means; (f) when the interpretation service performance willbe provided; (iii) comparing, on at least one of the aggregation sitecomputers, the user-selected service criteria with one or morepredefined sets of service criteria of the plurality of humaninterpreters to determine a degree of match; (iv) presenting to thefirst user, one or more selectable profiles of human interpreters basedupon one or more degrees of match; (v) selecting one or more of theplurality of human interpreters from the one or more selectableprofiles; (vi) transmitting, from the first user computer, informationto be interpreted to the one or more selected human interpreters; and(vii) receiving, on the first user computer and second user computer, aresponsive performance of interpretation services from the one or moreselected human interpreters, wherein the response is performed by theone or more selected human interpreters and corresponds to aninterpretation of the transmitted information from the first usercomputer.